The Pottery Road Pedestrian Crossing is the first component in a larger project to provide interpretation, accessibility, and environmental control for Crothers’ Wood, one of the few remaining fragments of Carolinian forest in both the Toronto area and throughout Canada. Designated an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, this site is part of the City of Toronto’s Terrestrial Natural Heritage System along the East Don River Valley.

Pressured by its urban location, the site’s heavy usage by hikers, cyclists, and dog walkers has resulted in numerous unplanned and unsustainable trails, as well as a dangerous crossing at Pottery Road. PLANT was able to address these issues by designing a network of shelter kiosks, benches, registry markers, and pathways that create a more formalized experience of the site while also protecting its fragile conditions. At Pottery Road, the controlled crossing includes water-inspired graphics reminiscent of the Don River flooding and laser-cut signage directing and controlling safe crossings.

The Pottery Road Pedestrian Crossing has received the following awards: 2014 National Urban Design Award (Award of Merit), 2014 CSLA Award of Excellence (National Merit), and a 2013 Toronto Urban Design Award (Award of Merit).

All forms of traffic can now smoothly flow past each other

A river of blue waves guides the flow of pedestrian and cycling traffic